Junior Hockeyhttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/taxonomy/term/240/all
enA Tall Order http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/tall-order
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The Next Wave Of American Goaltenders Are Big, But They Know They Have Big Shoes To Fill </div>
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By:&nbsp;</div>
<a href="/author/justin-felisko">Justin Felisko</a> </div>
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<p><span class="inline inline-left"><img src="http://usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/Goaliesontherise.jpg" alt="Anthony Stolarz, John Gibson and Jon Gillies represent the next wave of young American goaltenders who may become future NHL stars. (Photos by Getty Images)" title="Anthony Stolarz, John Gibson and Jon Gillies represent the next wave of young American goaltenders who may become future NHL stars. (Photos by Getty Images)" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="359" /><span class="caption" style="width: 523px;">Anthony Stolarz, John Gibson and Jon Gillies represent the next wave of young American goaltenders who may become future NHL stars. (Photos by Getty Images)</span></span></p>
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<p>When Jon Gillies makes his college hockey debut this fall with Providence College he will proudly hit the ice at Schneider arena with No. 32 stitched on the back of his white, gray and black Friar's hockey sweater.</p>
<p>It's not only a number but also a source of inspiration for the South Portland, Maine native. It's the number worn by Gillie's childhood idol <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8471734#&amp;navid=nhl-keymatch" target="_blank">Jonathan Quick</a>. One of the top American goaltender's in the National Hockey League and the latest U.S. goaltender to hoist the Stanley Cup.</p>
<p>"It was great seeing him win the Cup," said Gillies, this year's third round draft pick of the Calgary Flames. "I have been following him since he was at UMass and I wear number 32 because of him."</p>
<p>Tomorrow <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8476903#&amp;navid=nhl-keymatch" target="_blank">Gillies</a> will join <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8476434#&amp;navid=nhl-keymatch" target="_blank">John Gibson</a>, <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8476932#&amp;navid=nhl-keymatch" target="_blank">Anthony Stolarz</a> and <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8476343#&amp;navid=nhl-keymatch" target="_blank">Garret Sparks</a> at the 2012 USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid, N.Y., as they look to represent the next wave of American goaltenders that aspire to one day follow in the footsteps of their goaltending forefathers.</p>
<p><em>For more on the Rise of the American Goaltender pick up a copy of the August issue of USA Hockey Magazine for a complete look at some of America's best goaltenders in the NHL and over the course of history.&nbsp;</em></p>
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<p>Gibson, a 2011 second round pick of the Anaheim Ducks, was on a bus coming back from a hockey game in 2010 amid one of the greatest Olympic goaltending runs in American history. He and his teammates sat there in awe as <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8468011#&amp;navid=nhl-keymatch" target="_blank">Ryan Miller</a> continued to win over the United States faithful during his silver medal performance at the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games.</p>
<p>"Ryan Miller had a great tournament," Gibson said. "It wasn't the score they wanted [the 3-2 overtime loss to Canada in the gold-medal game] but it still did a lot for the country. It was hard to see how sad they were but it speaks volumes to what they did, how impressive they were, and what they did for hockey in the United States.<em></em></p>
<p>"With the year he had there it was pretty unbelievable and I think a lot of American goaltenders especially targeted him as their favorite goaltender with that experience."</p>
<p><span class="inline inline-left"><img src="http://usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/Gibson.img_assist_custom-280x362.jpg" alt="John Gibson #31 of Team USA skates against Team Finland at the Lake Placid Olympic Center on August 8, 2011 in Lake Placid, New York. Team USA defeated Team Finland 5-2. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)" title="John Gibson #31 of Team USA skates against Team Finland at the Lake Placid Olympic Center on August 8, 2011 in Lake Placid, New York. Team USA defeated Team Finland 5-2. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)" class="image image-img_assist_custom-280x362 " width="280" height="362" /><span class="caption" style="width: 278px;">John Gibson #31 of Team USA skates against Team Finland at the Lake Placid Olympic Center on August 8, 2011 in Lake Placid, New York. Team USA defeated Team Finland 5-2. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)</span></span>One inch taller than Miller, the 6-foot-3 Gibson also enjoyed international success in 2010 when he won a gold medal at the World Under-17 Challenge, stopping 38 of 39 shots. A year later the Pittsburgh native led the United States to a gold medal at the 2011 Under-18 World Championships in Germany with back-to-back overtime wins in the semifinals against Canada and the final over Sweden.</p>
<p>"It was a great experience and it really showed how close of a team we were and how we didn't crumble under pressure even when we got down," Gibson said. "It showed our ability to comeback and how mentally strong we are."</p>
<p>This past season Gibson had 21 wins and one shutout for Kitchener of the Ontario Hockey League while posting a 2.75 goals-against average and a league-high .928 save percentage.</p>
<p>Gillies, whose father Bruce was a goalie in the Edmonton Oilers organization, spent this past season stonewalling opposing skaters in the United States Hockey League for the Indiana Ice. The aggressive butterfly goalie led the USHL in wins (31) and had a 2.77 GAA and .915 save percentage.</p>
<p>Beyond the success of American goaltenders on the ice, what also has inspired Gillies is the path that many of his idols have taken. Quick (UMass), Vancouver's <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8471239#&amp;navid=nhl-keymatch" target="_blank">Schneider</a> (Boston College) and Boston's <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8460703#&amp;navid=nhl-keymatch" target="_blank">Tim Thomas</a> (Vermont) all played collegiate hockey before standing in between the pipes at the NHL level.</p>
<p>When faced with the choice of the playing for the Quebec Remparts of the Quebec Major Junior League or taking the college route Gillies remembered the path those before him took.</p>
<p>"They gave me the confidence in the college route and it really affirmed my commitment," Gillies said. "Going back and looking at Quick and Corey and guys like Brian Elliot it made me that much more comfortable with my decision and I really haven't looked back since."</p>
<p>During Miller's Olympic performance the goaltender for the Buffalo Sabres showed flashes of brilliance with a series of athletic and clutch saves. That athletic style has been embraced by the younger generation of goaltenders and has become one of their greatest strengths.</p>
<p>"Athleticism is such a big part and if you can keep it, harness it and use it towards your strength without losing control it's a great weapon," said Gillies, who played a variety of sports growing up.</p>
<p>What may separate this future wave of American goaltenders compared to those currently in the NHL such as Miller and Quick is their size. Gillies and Stolarz, a 2012 second round draft pick of the Philadelphia Flyers, are both 6-foot-5 and with Gibson being 6-foot-3 these three would be the tallest American goaltenders to find success since Tom Barrasso (6-foot-3) or current Vancouver Canucks goalie Cory Schneider (6-foot-3). Ottawa Senator's goalie <a href="http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8471750#&amp;navid=nhl-keymatch" target="_blank">Ben Bishop</a> (6-foot-7) is another prospect to watch and is currently the tallest American in between the pipes at the NHL level after seeing limited action this season.</p>
<p><span class="inline inline-right"><img src="http://usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/Jon_Gillies.img_assist_custom-280x189.jpg" alt="Jon Gillies, 75th overall pick by the Calgary Flames, poses for a portrait during the 2012 NHL Entry Draft at Consol Energy Center on June 23 in Pittsburgh. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/NHLI via Getty Images)" title="Jon Gillies, 75th overall pick by the Calgary Flames, poses for a portrait during the 2012 NHL Entry Draft at Consol Energy Center on June 23 in Pittsburgh. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/NHLI via Getty Images)" class="image image-img_assist_custom-280x189 " width="279" height="189" /><span class="caption" style="width: 277px;">Jon Gillies, 75th overall pick by the Calgary Flames, poses for a portrait during the 2012 NHL Entry Draft at Consol Energy Center on June 23 in Pittsburgh. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/NHLI via Getty Images)</span></span>Gillies will take his size and athleticism to camp next week focused on earning a roster spot for the 2013 World Junior Championship in Ufa, Russia.</p>
<p>"Hopefully I have a chance to make it over to Russia," Gillies said. "It's just a learning experience like everything. I'm going to try and soak it all in and learn from the older guys like John Gibson and take it one day and one shot at a time."</p>
<p>Gibson, who attended the 2011 evaluation camp as well, is excited about the possible opportunity to represent his country once again.</p>
<p>"Whenever you can play for your country it's an honor and I am looking forward to getting the chance to do it again," he said.</p>
<p>Regardless of what jersey they will wear in the years to come, one thing is for sure. The future of USA Hockey goaltending is tall and bright.</p>
<p>"It's just on the rise 100 percent," said Gillies. "The development of the United States is getting better and better."&nbsp;</p>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/tall-order#comments2012 USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation CampJohn GibsonJon GilliesJunior HockeyNHLprospectsUSA HockeyOnline Bonus ContentFri, 03 Aug 2012 19:05:32 +0000jfelisko7238 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.comMississippi Turninghttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2007-09/mississippi-turning
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Junior hockey players take captains challenge to help rebuild hurricane-ravaged gulf region </div>
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By:&nbsp;</div>
<a href="/author/beth-burnston">Beth Burnston</a> </div>
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<p><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://www.ushockeymagazine.net/sites/default/files/images/Katrina-Spread.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="260" /></span></p>
<p>The first time Zac Von Czoernig and Randy O&rsquo;Mahoney met it was during a center-ice collision in a game between Von Czoernig&rsquo;s Tri-State Selects and O&rsquo;Mahoney&rsquo;s Philadelphia Jr. Patriots.</p>
<p>Yet here they were again, sitting shoulder to shoulder in a 15-passenger van heading south on I-95 on the first leg of what would be an eight-day, 1,200-mile mission of mercy.</p>
<p>As the miles rolled along, the teenage hockey players discovered that not only would they be teammates this upcoming season with the Jr. Patriots organization, but they also actually liked each other.</p>
<p>Like Von Czoernig and O&rsquo;Mahoney, when the other members of the Continental Hockey Association gathered with their belongings in the parking lot of the Power Play Rink in Exton, Pa., they were strangers. By the end of a long week that pushed them to the brink of physical and mental exhaustion, they returned home as close friends and changed people.</p>
<p>Being a Junior hockey player in and of itself is all about sacrifices that many people outside of the sport don&rsquo;t understand. The long bus trips, early morning wake-up calls and taxing practices are all character builders for those looking to take the next step. This type of dedication leads them to empty rinks during the summer where they work hard on and off the ice to prepare for the upcoming season. </p>
<p><strong><span class="inline inline-left"><img src="http://www.ushockeymagazine.net/sites/default/files/images/Feat_Mississippi1.jpg" alt="Zac Von Czoernig and Stephon Cote move a piece of plywood into place." title="Zac Von Czoernig and Stephon Cote move a piece of plywood into place." class="image image-img_assist_custom-255x248 " width="250" height="243" /><span class="caption" style="width: 248px;">Zac Von Czoernig and Stephon Cote move a piece of plywood into place.</span></span></strong>For one week in late June, that training was put on hold when one group of Junior hockey players from the CHA traded in their hockey sticks for hammers to help rebuild the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast. </p>
<p>They arrived in the parking lot of a suburban Philadelphia rink eager to lend a hand to the humanitarian mission, but unaware of the monumental task that lay ahead.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I&rsquo;m not sure how it&rsquo;s going to be. I don&rsquo;t hear about it on the news anymore; it can&rsquo;t be that bad. But if it is, I guess I wouldn&rsquo;t be surprised,&rdquo; admitted O&rsquo;Mahoney. </p>
<p>Connected by a common cause, the players piled into the van ready for the long haul. Despite the hours on the road, cramped quarters and stifling heat, the attitudes were remarkably upbeat. </p>
<p>Although most had never met, they quickly struck up conversations of the past season, common teammates and rivals and the season yet to come. Some discovered that they would soon be wearing the same colors, and talked about their goals for the new year.</p>
<p>&ldquo;We&rsquo;re on different teams in the league,&rdquo; said Matt Nielsen of the Virginia Express. &ldquo;But really we&rsquo;re all hockey players and we all share a common goal and a common love for the sport. I think it&rsquo;s great we&rsquo;re all [spending] time together.&rdquo;</p>
<p>By the time the traveling party rolled into Biloxi, Miss., early on a Sunday evening they had had enough of the road. As they poured out of the van, unfolding and uncoiling cramped limbs, they were smacked in the face with the blanket of humidity that covers the Gulf Coast region during the summer months. They were also hit by the startling realization that there was still much work to be done two years after Hurricane Katrina pummeled the Gulf Coast.</p>
<p>After a night of sleep in air-conditioned bunkhouses, the group joined forces with Habitat for Humanity to receive their marching orders for the week. Most of the players thought that they would be responsible for painting and maybe some gardening. They were wrong. Their week would be spent rebuilding a house for one of many displaced families in the area. </p>
<p>Over the years, Habitat for Humanity has done more than just rebuild homes; it has helped to rebuild the lives and lift the spirits of people all over the region.&nbsp; </p>
<p>&ldquo;I really think there needs to be sort of hope and happiness back in the area here,&rdquo; said Chris Hansen, a Habitat site supervisor. &ldquo;A lot of people are still sad and kind of beat up and depressed from the whole storm. Just the presence of the neighborhoods and the houses helps quite a bit with the morale here.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The project started from the ground and worked its way up. Arriving at the job site, all that was in place were cinderblock pilings. The rest would be up to the players and a handful of Habitat workers. </p>
<p>The workdays were long and extremely hot. No hockey practice could prepare the players for the grueling task of working outdoors in Mississippi in the middle of summer. Through it all, everyone remained positive and upbeat.</p>
<p>&nbsp;&ldquo;It&rsquo;s just great helping people down there. Just seeing the destruction makes you want to do more, help more, build more houses. Anything you can do to help these people,&rdquo; said Von Czoernig.</p>
<p><span class="inline inline-right"><img src="http://www.ushockeymagazine.net/sites/default/files/images/Feat_Mississippi2.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="250" height="314" /></span>By the end of the week, the team had built the foundation, floor and the framework for all the exterior and interior walls of the house. </p>
<p>The amount of work that it took to build half a house put the rebuilding task into perspective. It took nearly 20 people a week just to put up the framework of one house. There were thousands more waiting in the wings.</p>
<p>Local citizens weren&rsquo;t the only ones who appreciated the effort of the CHA players. In a demonstration of how close the hockey community can be, representatives from the East Coast Hockey League&rsquo;s Mississippi Sea Wolves came by the work site to visit the crew one afternoon. The team has not been able to play a game in more than two years, and the damage to their arena, which is on the Gulf of Mexico, has just recently been repaired.</p>
<p>Head Coach and General Manager Steffon Walby talked to the players about advancing to the next level in hockey, and acknowledged the importance of their volunteer work.</p>
<p>&ldquo;There&rsquo;s not a lot of other sports [whose players] would come and do what you guys are doing down here,&rdquo; Walby said. &ldquo;Hockey people are special people, and that&rsquo;s what separates us from all the other major sports. Be proud to be involved in the game and proud of what you guys [have done] here.&rdquo; </p>
<p>The experiences spilled over from the job site and into the nightly &ldquo;team dinners&rdquo; at local buffets and southern barbeque joints. There were also side trips to a minor league baseball game, and an evening in New Orleans&rsquo; famous French Quarter. Those trips, in addition to the satisfaction that came with helping others were all the rewards these players needed. </p>
<p>As the players crawled back into the cramped quarters of the van and headed for home, they left behind the foundation of a brighter future for one family in need, and took with them something that will last a lifetime.</p>
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Issue:&nbsp;</div>
<a href="/issue/2007-09">2007-09</a> </div>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2007-09/mississippi-turning#commentshurricaneJunior HockeyMississippiFeatureFri, 17 Jun 2011 17:26:09 +0000admin5125 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.comConfessions Of A Junior Hockey Junkiehttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2007-12/confessions-junior-hockey-junkie
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USHL Super Fan Is Loud And Proud Of His Beloved Waterloo Black Hawks </div>
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<a href="/node/33">Jim Leitner </a> </div>
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<p><span class="inline inline-right"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/0712_juniorHondzinski-opene.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="380" height="253" /></span>John Hondzinski arrives at Young Arena with his super-fan survival kit in two five-gallon buckets plastered with Waterloo Black Hawks stickers.<br />&nbsp; <br />He&rsquo;s a little behind schedule for the Sunday afternoon game against the Green Bay Gamblers, so he quickly decorates the railing, that separates the concourse from Section G to make it feel more like home. The man every Waterloo fan knows as &ldquo;Hondo&rdquo; secures his Black Hawks flags to the&nbsp; railing then grabs an assortment of cowbells and a drumstick to pound on one of his buckets just as the arena lights dim for player introductions.</p>
<p>Hondo perched himself here during the Black Hawks&rsquo; run to the United States Hockey League&rsquo;s Clark Cup championship in the spring of 2004, and he doesn&rsquo;t plan to move any time soon. Too much mojo in this spot, and he refuses to jinx his Black Hawks. </p>
<p>&ldquo;When you can sense the players are getting a little bit tired, we cheer a little bit harder and a little bit louder,&rdquo; says the 49-year-old supervisor of a plastics factory in nearby Grundy Center, Iowa. </p>
<p>&ldquo;It works. I know it works. I&rsquo;ve seen it work here in Waterloo, and I&rsquo;ve seen it work in Cedar Rapids. Oh boy, did I see it work in Cedar Rapids last year.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The Pied Piper of&nbsp; Waterloo Black Hawks fans, Hondo organized a road trip of more than 75 fans to rival Cedar Rapids on the final weekend of the 2006-07 regular season. Hondo and his boisterous &ldquo;Hockey Maniacs&rdquo; gave the Black Hawks a jolt of energy, and the team responded with a late goal to win, 3-2, and clinch its first-ever Anderson Cup as regular-season champions. Those same fans stuck around and gave the players a rousing reception as they boarded the bus back to Waterloo.</p>
<p>Hondzinski, a Detroit native who grew up with the NHL as his preferred brand of hockey, became absolutely hooked on the USHL about five seasons ago.</p>
<p><span class="inline inline-left"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/0712_juniorHONDO-01.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="380" height="253" /></span>&ldquo;This is hockey at its purest and at its finest, because there is no money involved,&rdquo; he says. &ldquo;These kids are playing with their hearts to get a chance to get a college scholarship or make it in the pros. </p>
<p>&ldquo;What I really enjoy is the fact that the fans have an opportunity to make a connection with these players and show them there are people who care about them. It&rsquo;s kind of like unconditional love. </p>
<p>&ldquo;You know you have something special with someone when you get an opportunity to break bread with someone. You get to do that with the kids at this level, and you develop friendships that go beyond hockey and beyond their time here in Waterloo.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Hondo became so hooked on Junior hockey, he scheduled much of his life around the Black Hawks. He saves his vacation days for road trips, he frequently purchases blocks of tickets for fans new to the sport, and he has a practice of purchasing a cowbell for any member of his group attending his or her first Black Hawks game.</p>
<p>He has played a key role in the Black Hawks&rsquo; increasing their home attendance average in each of the past five seasons, a feat not accomplished since the NHL&rsquo;s Boston Bruins did it from 1969-74. Waterloo averaged 2,821 fans to 30 home games in 2006-07, while the 12-team USHL drew 1,051,897 fans to 360 games. (See graph, page 49.)</p>
<p>&ldquo;Hondo could run for mayor, and he&rsquo;d probably win,&rdquo; Black Hawks coach P.K. O&rsquo;Handley says. &ldquo;He&rsquo;s way more popular than I am. It&rsquo;s not even close. </p>
<p>&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t think there&rsquo;s anyone in Junior hockey quite like him. What really sets him apart is his passion for the game and his desire to help other people feel that same passion. When I first heard he buys tickets for people, my first thought was, &lsquo;Are you crazy?&rsquo; But he does it out of the goodness of his heart. What a tremendous asset he is for our hockey team.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Before the game and between periods, Black Hawks fans of all ages approach Hondo with a hug or a high-five. </p>
<p>&ldquo;I love this venue, I love the people, I love the fans, and I love the team,&rdquo; Hondo gushes. &ldquo;You come here, it&rsquo;s like family. This is my hockey family right here.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Wearing a personalized jersey and black and red sweatbands on his wrists, Hondo tightly grips a string of cowbells in his left hand and his drumstick in his right. He madly shakes both as the Black Hawks tie the game, 1-1, late in the first period. The noise from Section G reaches a crescendo when the Black <br />Hawks close out a 3-1 victory.</p>
<p>The highly superstitious fan doesn&rsquo;t mind being interrupted while the puck is in play. Just don&rsquo;t tell anyone his secret.</p>
<p>&ldquo;My first thought is, &lsquo;You can&rsquo;t wait until the intermission to tell me that?&rsquo; &rdquo; Hondo says. &ldquo;But it always happens. Always. Someone will ask me a question or tell me something, and we&rsquo;ll score a goal.&rdquo;</p>
<p><span class="inline inline-right"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/0712_juniorJohn02.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="380" height="267" /></span>His super fan survival kit includes anything to enhance the game experience for himself or a member of his Hockey Maniacs. There&rsquo;s a bell-repair kit, a rally towel &ldquo;because it really worked a few years ago,&rdquo; ear plugs for the kids, and a lucky Eagle Hawk charm.</p>
<p>Hondo&rsquo;s promotional tactics work, too. Just ask Dina Petersen, who became hooked on the Black Hawks after only one game three or four seasons ago and instantly became one of Hondo&rsquo;s Hockey Maniacs. </p>
<p>&ldquo;He got my husband hooked first, then I decided to see what it was all about,&rdquo; Petersen says. &ldquo;My first game, I was like &lsquo;Wow, this is really, really cool.&rsquo; It&rsquo;s so much fun going to a game with Hondo, because he&rsquo;s kind of rowdy, and he&rsquo;s really loud. That&rsquo;s kind of the way I like to be at games, too.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Hondo purchased a season ticket for a seat just below the spot where he stands, &ldquo;because there were a few complaints about me being too loud.&rdquo; But, while fans in other sections might heckle the opposing goaltender or the officials, he keeps it clean.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I don&rsquo;t do negative,&rdquo; Hondo says. &ldquo;Even if the refs are having a bad-ref night, I don&rsquo;t get on them. For me, it&rsquo;s more about being positive for the Hawks.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The players certainly notice. In addition to making all of the home games and several road trips, Hondo rarely misses one of the Black Hawks scheduled public appearances throughout the community.&nbsp; </p>
<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s such a huge advantage to have a fan like Hondo, especially when you&rsquo;re on the road and you look up and see him in the crowd supporting you,&rdquo; says defenseman Blake Kessel, the younger brother of Boston Bruins star Phil Kessel. </p>
<p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s such a positive, upbeat guy, and he always has a smile on his face. Even if you lose or have a bad game, he has something positive to say. Fans like Hondo make you want to play that much harder.&rdquo; </p>
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Issue:&nbsp;</div>
<a href="/issue/2007-12">2007-12</a> </div>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2007-12/confessions-junior-hockey-junkie#commentsBlack HawksHockey FansJunior HockeyFeatureWed, 09 Mar 2011 23:00:32 +0000admin4350 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.comYou Can Get There From Herehttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2009-12/you-can-get-there-here
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When It Comes To Developing College Talent, The ‘EJ’ May Be Junior Hockey’s Best-Kept Secret </div>
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By:&nbsp;</div>
<a href="/author/mick-colageo">Mick Colageo </a> </div>
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<p><strong><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/EJHL-Burns-3.jpg" alt="Some of the most talented players from throughout New England don&amp;rsquo;t have to go far to find top-notch Junior hockey competition." title="Some of the most talented players from throughout New England don&amp;rsquo;t have to go far to find top-notch Junior hockey competition." class="image image-_original " width="525" height="390" /><span class="caption" style="width: 523px;">Some of the most talented players from throughout New England don&rsquo;t have to go far to find top-notch Junior hockey competition.</span></span></strong></p>
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<p>When right winger Charlie Coyle finishes his season with the South Shore Kings, a potential roster spot with defending national champion Boston University will be waiting for him.</p>
<p>But the process of honing his schoolboy skills for hockey against men began in earnest when the Weymouth, Mass., native left nearby Thayer Academy to complete high school in his hometown and play the 2009-10 season in the Eastern Junior Hockey League.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a lot faster,&rdquo; said Coyle, who was rated as an &ldquo;A&rdquo; player on Central Scouting&rsquo;s 2009 Fall watch list, a mark that places him among the elite prospects for the upcoming NHL Entry Draft. &ldquo;Kids are bigger, stronger and faster, so it&rsquo;s good to adapt to that. It&rsquo;ll help me get to the next level. I like it so far.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Scott Harlow and a handful of similarly experienced coaches have helped raise the profile of the &ldquo;EJ,&rdquo; a Tier III (tuition-based) Junior A program that charter member Sean Tremblay said achieved traction in its fifth year in 1998 when the late Gary Dineen fielded a Springfield team featuring 10 future Div. I players.</p>
<p>&ldquo;They were a loaded, frightening team,&rdquo; said Tremblay,&nbsp; general manager and coach of the New Hampshire Monarchs. &ldquo;I think that helped spur a lot of kids into our league. Kids who were on the fence ... I think it took getting those players into our league to turn the corner.&rdquo;</p>
<p>The EJHL is now a 14-team league spread throughout New England and stretching as far west as Syracuse, N.Y., and as far south as </p>
<p>Washington, D.C. Because the Northeast is overrun with NHL, AHL, college, prep and community alternatives, the only people attending Junior hockey games are players&rsquo; friends and relatives. Most importantly, the stands generally include a handful of college coaches from some of New England&rsquo;s most prestigious schools.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The kids that are moving on from these various Junior leagues are putting in a monumental amount of effort. The commitment is a lot of work, and it&rsquo;s not for everybody,&rdquo; said former NHLer Bob Corkum, who regularly scouts EJHL games as an assistant coach for the University of Maine.</p>
<p>&ldquo;A lot of young players think they want it, and then they find out what it&rsquo;s all about. The Junior level has a way of sorting all that out.&rdquo;</p>
<p><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/EJHL-Burns-4.jpg" alt="This season 12 players from the Eastern Junior Hockey League broke in with Div. I college teams." title="This season 12 players from the Eastern Junior Hockey League broke in with Div. I college teams." class="image image-_original " width="525" height="286" /><span class="caption" style="width: 523px;">This season 12 players from the Eastern Junior Hockey League broke in with Div. I college teams.</span></span></p>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>It&rsquo;s a lot of hockey and a lot of hard work off the ice for players like Coyle, whose studies are crammed into shrunken days partly eaten away by travel time.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s tough for him because he&rsquo;s going to high school full time. He&rsquo;s up at 6 every morning and doesn&rsquo;t get home &rsquo;til 7 p.m.,&rdquo; said Chuck Coyle, Charlie&rsquo;s father.</p>
<p>Chuck Coyle played some Junior hockey in Canada, so the Junior model didn&rsquo;t scare him off. Plus, he played teenage hockey with Harlow.</p>
<p>&ldquo;[Charlie] was always good. In the back of my mind, it hopefully would come to this, but I&rsquo;m lucky he&rsquo;s as good as he is. I played at a fairly high level, but he&rsquo;s already passed me,&rdquo; said Chuck Coyle, a cousin of former NHLer Tony Amonte and second cousin to former NHLer Bobby Sheehan.</p>
<p>Selling the parents without that kind of experience in Junior hockey is challenging. Coaches can tell them that the Montreal Canadiens drafted EJHL alumnus Mike Komisarek seventh overall, and that the Monarchs have had seven NHL drafts picks in the past seven years.</p>
<p>But their job is also to evaluate and help find EJ players the proper college fit.</p>
<p><span class="inline inline-right"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/EJHL-Action-1.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="270" height="402" /></span>&ldquo;We&rsquo;re dream breakers,&rdquo; said Bridgewater Bandits coach Mike Doneghey. &ldquo;We&rsquo;re the ones who finally have to tell them, &lsquo;You&rsquo;re a Div. III player and not a Div. I player.&rsquo; &rdquo;</p>
<p>Many hockey parents, according to Doneghey, perceive the Junior model as hockey first and hockey only, but in 2008 alone the EJ placed 93 players on college teams.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Three of our guys are into prep school hockey for over $100,000 and still have to play Junior hockey,&rdquo; he said.</p>
<p>Doneghey graduated in 1989 from Catholic Memorial, the Boston-area school that went dynastic from the time he arrived until a few winters ago. His CM class sent five players straight into Hockey East. That was an early stage in the migration of talent from public schools to parochials to preps. Now it&rsquo;s taken another turn, and even Div. III college rosters reflect the advent of the EJHL.</p>
<p>&ldquo;In my experiences, most players who aren&rsquo;t Div. I caliber realize it before the parent, interestingly enough,&rdquo; said UMass Dartmouth coach John Rolli, who estimates he makes five phone calls per week with EJ coaches. &ldquo;I think, for us, recruiting kids out of that league it&rsquo;s persistence, persistence, persistence. It might take more than one year before an EJ kid comes to UMass Dartmouth to play. Time is on our side, and it&rsquo;s on theirs, too.&rdquo;</p>
<p>When the current school year started, four of Rolli&rsquo;s eight freshmen were already 20 years old, and the other four were&nbsp; 21.</p>
<p>&ldquo;That&rsquo;s where the landscape is now,&rdquo; he said.</p>
<p>The days of a Shawn McEachern jumping from Matignon Catholic straight to BU, the U.S. Olympic Team and the Pittsburgh Penguins are over. Now an assistant coach at UMass Lowell, McEachern said more has changed for young hockey players besides the hockey.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s different now because kids are skating year round,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I played baseball, soccer. I skied, too, when I was a kid.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Skaters typically spend many off-ice hours in weight training, and one of the selling points for the Coyle family was the off-ice commitment the Kings were willing to make.</p>
<p>&ldquo;[Harlow] and Brian McDonough, the trainers, they&rsquo;re going to help me a lot,&rdquo; said Charlie Coyle. &ldquo;They obviously know what it takes to get you to the next level.&rdquo;</p>
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<h6>Kevin Burns Photography, New Hampshire Monarchs<br /></h6>
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Issue:&nbsp;</div>
<a href="/issue/2009-12">2009-12</a> </div>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2009-12/you-can-get-there-here#commentsEJHLJunior HockeyMassachusettsFeatureFri, 04 Dec 2009 21:05:09 +00001878 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.comA Breath Of Fresh Airhttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2008-04/breath-fresh-air
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“New Youth League With A New Vision” Keeps Hockey Passion Alive In Twin Cities </div>
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By:&nbsp;</div>
<a href="/author/james-macdonald">James MacDonald</a> </div>
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<p><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/0804-xl-Goalie-Save.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="307" /></span></p>
<p>During a recent game at the University of Minnesota&rsquo;s Mariucci Arena, a defenseman wearing gold corralled a rebound near his net in the defensive zone and curled behind the goaltender to set up a quick transition breakout.</p>
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<h4 class="feature_headline_smaller">More information<br /></h4>
<h3 class="feature_headline_smaller"><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/xLlogo.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="168" height="87" /></span><br /></h3>
<p class="textlinkblack"><strong><a href="http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2008-04/how-start-your-own-league"></a>Check out their operation at <a href="http://www.xlhockeyleague.com" target="_blank">xlhockeyleague.com</a></strong></p>
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<h4><strong><br />Related Story</strong></h4>
<p class="textlinkblack"><strong>&bull; <a href="http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2008-04/how-start-your-own-league">How to start your own league.</a></strong></p>
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<p>It would have to be quick, too, since a pair of forecheckers in green had doubled back to pressure the puck. Both forecheckers were collapsing furiously, and one, coming from hard around the corner with good speed, had a bead on the defenseman.</p>
<p>As his mental clock ticked down, like a quarterback sensing the pressure in a pocket, the defenseman surveyed his options, ready to move the puck. The nearest forechecker barreled forward. The defenseman stared down the chaos in front of him, took a step into the fray and fired a pass to a winger on the wall.<br />&nbsp;<br />And that&rsquo;s when something refreshing happened.<br />&nbsp;<br />The defenseman was not leveled by an amped-up teen who had fired his engines 10 steps earlier in hopes of driving his opponent through the glass and into next Tuesday.<br />&nbsp;<br />By now, you may have realized we&rsquo;re not talking about a Golden Gophers game, and that the team in green is not North Dakota. We&rsquo;re talking about a sort of oasis for junior high and high school-age players who found the XL Hockey League.<br />&nbsp;<br />The play from behind the net serves as an allegory.<br />&nbsp;<br />XL is a league free of checking, and it attempts also to free itself from the sometimes-stifling approach kids find when they sign up for activities these days. Now wrapping up its third season, XL comes with the tag line, &ldquo;a new youth league with a new vision,&rdquo; and tries to live up to its billing as a breath of fresh air.<br />&nbsp;<br />The idea is to give players a place to play and less to worry about when they do. Look no further than the time commitment: One game a week. Every Sunday during the season, a dozen teams filed into the premier facilities at Mariucci and Ridder Arena, they played hockey, had some fun, and that was it.</p>
<p><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/0804-XL-Net-Action.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="334" /></span><br />&nbsp;</p>
<p>There are coaches, referees, scoreboards, penalties and all the other elements of the game, but without checking or practices.</p>
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<h2>"Right now, hockey can often be an all or nothing proposition, and it doesn&rsquo;t have <br />to be that way. There should <br />be something in between for <br />kids who are involved in other activities.&rdquo;<br /></h2>
<h5>&ndash; Dave Jensen, one of the founders of the XL Hockey LeagueYou have to keep believing and if you want it bad enough, you&rsquo;ll get it. Don&rsquo;t ever think it&rsquo;s not possible."</h5>
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<p>&ldquo;What this is really about,&rdquo; says Greg Anzelc, who has helped build the league from its inaugural season, &ldquo;is simply giving more kids the opportunity to play, once a week, and without a four- or five-day-a-week commitment.&rdquo;</p>
<p>This isn&rsquo;t an 82-game season for young players with busy lives. Want to go snowboarding with the family over Christmas? No problem. Want to carry a rigorous school workload? By all means. Want to devote more time to another organized sport? Go right ahead.</p>
<p>It should be noted, however, that the league is not attempting to be un-competitive so much as it&rsquo;s meant not to be ultracompetitive.&nbsp; &ldquo;It&rsquo;s competitive hockey,&rdquo; says Dave Jensen, another force behind the league from its earliest days. &ldquo;They&rsquo;re going hard. The only difference is that it&rsquo;s no-check hockey and it&rsquo;s only one day a week.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Though it can be a tough sell for some in a hockey-mad culture, therein lies its strength as an alternative. XL is designed to expose players to the joys of a sport that keeps so many of us playing into our 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond. As adults, we look forward to popping into the room one night a week, saying hello to our buddies, catching up, having a laugh and spending the next hour trying not to hurt ourselves.</p>
<p>In fact, adult hockey served not only as an inspiration, but also as a motivating factor behind launching a league. Minnesota Hockey and USA Hockey found there was a drastic drop in membership after Bantams, which seemed to set up as the tipping point in terms of commitment. XL responds with a bridge for players to take from youth hockey to adult hockey.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Once they graduate from high school,&rdquo; Anzelc says, &ldquo;they&rsquo;re going to go play intramurals somewhere or men&rsquo;s league. But if they don&rsquo;t have a place to play in between, they take those skates off and they probably don&rsquo;t put them back on for a long time.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Jensen and Anzelc point out that the league, which split this season into two separate divisions, ranges from beginners to players who barely missed playing for local high school powers, some of which find 80 kids trying out for their varsity teams, and outstanding players from other sports. One player qualified for the state golf tournament, and there are others who captain their baseball and soccer teams.</p>
<p>&ldquo;These are well-rounded athletes,&rdquo; Anzelc says.</p>
<p>Among them is Patrick Boyd, a senior at Hill Murray, which won the prestigious State Tournament in March. Boyd grew up playing hockey in area programs and served as his team&rsquo;s manager while devoting his Sundays to XL hockey.<br /><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/0804-xl-Player-skating.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="525" height="404" /></span></p>
<p>&ldquo;Everybody gets along together even though you just met them,&rdquo; says Boyd, who heard about the league on the radio. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s fun to play. It&rsquo;s not as big a game as some people have. You just come out and have fun.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Boyd&rsquo;s father, too, is impressed after watching most of his son&rsquo;s games over the last three seasons.</p>
<p>&ldquo;The XL League is just one of those leagues that lets kids play the game and have fun,&rdquo; Tim Boyd says. &ldquo;They have fun in the locker room, and my son has met a lot of new kids there. Every kid on the team comes off the ice with a smile on his face.&rdquo;</p>
<p>In spirit, it can be viewed almost as a men&rsquo;s league. If there is any truth that we gain some sort of perspective as we age, the XL League may be among the more evolved youth hockey concepts in the country.</p>
<p>&ldquo;It has been a great experience working with these players, coaches and parents,&rdquo; says Anzelc. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s a very refreshing atmosphere at the rink. Everyone has a smile on their face, they get their hockey fix, and then go on with their week. Nothing more, nothing less.&rdquo;</p>
<h6>Photos By Jim Rosvold</h6>
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Issue:&nbsp;</div>
<a href="/issue/2008-04">2008-04</a> </div>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2008-04/breath-fresh-air#commentsJunior HockeyMinnesotarec hockeyyouth hockeyFeatureWed, 22 Jul 2009 20:09:22 +00001139 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.comNot Your Average Joehttp://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2008-12/not-your-average-joe
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Michigan Goalie Refuses To Let Anything Stand In His Way </div>
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By:&nbsp;</div>
<a href="/author/phillip-colvin">Phillip Colvin</a> </div>
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<p><span class="inline inline-none"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/0812_joe-rodgers.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="380" height="279" /></span></p>
<p>Like most Junior A goalies, Joe Rogers has terrific reflexes, tremendous focus, incredible agility and plays his angles well.</p>
<p>What isn&rsquo;t so easy to see is that Rogers, who plays for the North American Hockey League&rsquo;s Motor City (Mich.) Machine, was born without a full right hand that keeps him from closing his glove after catching the puck.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t even notice it, and most people who watch him are surprised,&rdquo; said Notre Dame assistant coach Andy Slaggert, who coached Rogers at the USA Hockey Select 15 Festival in St. Cloud, Minn., in 2005. </p>
<p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s not self conscious about it. The first time people notice it is when they shake hands with him.&rdquo;</p>
<p>In two operations &ndash; the first when he was 2-years-old, the second when he was 5 &ndash; surgeons took a bone from his foot and used it to reshape the thumb on his right hand.</p>
<p><strong><span class="inline inline-right"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/0812_Joe-rodgers-stand.jpg" alt="Joe Rogers is perfecting his craft with the Motor City Machine of the NAHL before attending Notre Dame next season." title="Joe Rogers is perfecting his craft with the Motor City Machine of the NAHL before attending Notre Dame next season." class="image image-_original " width="216" height="360" /><span class="caption" style="width: 214px;">Joe Rogers is perfecting his craft with the Motor City Machine of the NAHL before attending Notre Dame next season.</span></span></strong>&ldquo;It&rsquo;s all I have ever known, and it&rsquo;s part of who I am,&rdquo; said Rogers. &ldquo;All my friends and family know about it, and it never really comes up because it doesn&rsquo;t hinder me from doing anything.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Rogers wrestled and played football, soccer, baseball and golf growing up. But hockey has been his passion since he started playing at age 4.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I love the physical aspect and the speed of the game,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;There are so many different things going on at once, and it really takes concentration, focus and dedication to be able to handle all the things happening.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Armed with a custom glove and very quick feet, Rogers&rsquo; only nod to his right hand is that he usually pulls his glove close to his chest after catching a shot.</p>
<p>&ldquo;So it&rsquo;s not just sitting out there where it could get hit,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;If you just saw me do it, most people wouldn&rsquo;t know [about his hand] because it&rsquo;s not uncommon for goalies to bring the puck close to them to protect it.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Growing up in Marysville (Mich.), near the Canadian border, Rogers made frequent trips to Canada to watch the Ontario Hockey League&rsquo;s Sarnia Sting and went to the CCHA playoffs at Joe Louis Arena. Seeing players on their way to the pros fueled his single-minded pursuit of playing at a higher level. </p>
<p>&ldquo;As a kid I dreamed of playing Junior, college and professional hockey,&rdquo; said Rogers. &ldquo;I didn&rsquo;t listen to any naysayers, and it didn&rsquo;t matter what anyone said. I just blocked it out and gave it my all. I was taught growing up that you can do anything you put your mind to, and that&rsquo;s what I did.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Rogers also followed the career of Jim Abbott, a Michigan native born without a right hand who pitched 10 seasons in the major leagues.</p>
<p><span class="inline inline-left"><img src="http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/sites/default/files/images/0812_Joe-Rodgers-goalie-profile.jpg" alt="" title="" class="image image-_original " width="216" height="324" /></span>&ldquo;My dad got me some of his baseball cards when I was younger,&rdquo; said Rogers, who met Abbott last year at an awards banquet in Detroit and still stays in contact with him. &ldquo;He has always been kind of my idol. He has a similar thing, and he didn&rsquo;t let it stop him.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Rogers also credits his parents, Scott and Lynne Rogers, for instilling in him the direct connection between hard work and success.</p>
<p>&ldquo;They&rsquo;ve been hard workers their whole lives and just seeing their dedication has shown me that if you work hard, good things come of it,&rdquo; he said.<br />And that focus to improve hasn&rsquo;t gone unnoticed.</p>
<p>&ldquo;Right from training camp I was super impressed with Joe&rsquo;s work ethic on and off the ice and the way he prepared,&rdquo; said Motor City coach and general manager Matt Romaniski. &ldquo;He does an off-ice workout for flexibility and hand-eye coordination before every practice, and he&rsquo;s the first one on the ice every day.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Rogers graduated from Marysville High School with a 3.99 GPA and has been accepted at Notre Dame (he deferred admission to play a year of Junior hockey) &ndash; but he&rsquo;s no bookworm.</p>
<p>&ldquo;He&rsquo;s a first-class kid, and he gets along with everyone on the team,&rdquo; said Romaniski. &ldquo;He gives 100 percent every day, and he&rsquo;s a student of the game. He&rsquo;s got a bright future.&rdquo;</p>
<p>In 2007, Rogers played on a Belle Tire team that won the USA Hockey Tier I 16 &amp; Under National Championship, and the experience taught him the importance of chemistry and a winning attitude.</p>
<p>&ldquo;What I learned that season was how far teamwork and camaraderie can take you,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;We were fairly skilled, but there were teams more skilled than us. We really bonded and became like brothers. It is amazing how that bond can make such a difference than just skill by itself.&rdquo;</p>
<p>Rogers is concentrating on helping the Machine and improving his stamina and quickness in the net &ndash; but he can&rsquo;t help looking forward to playing for the Fighting Irish next season.</p>
<p>&ldquo;I can&rsquo;t wait,&rdquo; he said. </p>
<p><em>Phillip Colvin is the editor of Michigan Hockey.</em></p>
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<a href="/issue/2008-12">2008-12</a> </div>
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http://www.usahockeymagazine.com/article/2008-12/not-your-average-joe#commentsJoe RodgersJunior HockeyJuniorsMichiganNAHLFeatureThu, 16 Jul 2009 17:21:29 +0000841 at http://www.usahockeymagazine.com